Thank you for the deer biologists’ proposal to scientifically manage long-term our deer problem – with provincial funding help.
Just before council rejected it by a vote of 5-2, the mayor held up the Pennsylvania 2016 deer cull as a success – proof for him that culls work and one that relied on .223 close combat frangible ammunition. It had a base cost of $80K (plus staff, police and research).
However as the scientists pointed out, deer have a density-dependent population response. Pennsylvania’s 2008 cull directly resulted in a higher birth rate and in needing to do a cull again.
Respectfully, this is not a long-term solution.
For details on Pennsylvania’s “successful” 2016 deer cull: bit.ly/padeercull.
Eric Wood Zhelka
Councillor, Oak Bay